News about contemporary American writer of Ageless Soul, Care of the Soul, A Religion of One's Own, and the Gospel series.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Moore recommends honouring each woman's juno

In his July-August 2013 column for Spirituality & Health magazine, "An Ancient, Divine Feminism", Thomas Moore turns to the Romans and their associations with the goddess Juno:

"The genius felt in the presence of a woman was called juno, after the great goddess. Juno was the protector of women throughout their lives: in their youth, during their time as brides, and then as they moved into motherhood. Every woman had her juno that she celebrated the same day as her birthday.

Although it’s unusual to turn to the Romans for inspiration for our spirituality today, the notion that every woman has her juno is a rich one. It could help us honor and respect femininity, gaining perspective on what it means to be a woman. We could distinguish between the feminine spirit in each woman and her individual personality. Because whether you’re male or female, when you stand next to a woman, you can sense the presence of a spirit. The quality of this spirit may vary somewhat, because women have moments that are businesslike, maternal, artistic, girlish, sexy, or an interesting blend of all of these."

Moore shares, "I have always believed that women will be equal and free only when the feminine itself, the juno spirit, is acknowledged and given real honor. I suspect that men have more trouble with the juno than with women. They are generally afraid of its power, perhaps because they, too, have lost touch with the genius that lives within them. "